The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which represents 800 Federal Communications Commission employees, has come out in support of the nomination of Gigi Sohn for the long-vacant fifth seat — and third Democrat — on the commission.

In a letter to Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which failed to successfully report Sohn's nomination to the full Senate for a vote, NTEU said it was concerned about the continued vacancy and that Sohn was a highly qualified nominee whose nomination should be moved out of committee for a floor vote.

Also: Sohn Will Recuse Herself from Retrans, Copyright Issues

“NTEU believes that Ms. Gigi Sohn is a highly qualified nominee,” NETU national president Anthony Reardon said. “She is a former staff member of the FCC and knows the agency well and she would be an excellent member of the Commission. Furthermore, I feel that any further delay in the confirmation of her nomination threatens to inhibit progress at the FCC to the detriment of both the workforce and the American consumer.

“It is time for the country to allow this Commission and its employees to be fully staffed and functioning,” he added. “Ms. Sohn has a stellar record as a telecom expert. I would urge you and your staff can do all that you are able to move this nomination forward.” 

A supporter of Sohn said it was the first time NTEU had endorsed an FCC candidate. A representative of the union was not available at press time to confirm that.

The FCC has been without the Democratic majority secured with President Joe Biden’s election for over a year and a half, leaving it to tackle bipartisan issues but not such hot-button topics as the return of net neutrality rules, which both the current two Democratic FCC commissioners and Biden support; Universal Service reform; and potential reregulation of broadcast ownership deregulated under Republican FCC chairman Ajit Pai.

Sohn would be the first former civil society group activist — she headed Public Knowledge — to sit on the commission, which has featured any number of former lobbyists, including chairmen, from both parties.

While Sohn brings a wealth of experience, including as a former top adviser to FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, she also brings some baggage that vexes Republicans as well as cable and broadcast entities, including her support of Title II-based net neutrality rules; her association with streaming service Locast, which broadcasters successfully sued over copyright issues, and her past criticism of some big media players, notably Fox News Channel. ▪️

It’s not looking good for Gigi Sohn’s nomination to fill the third Democratic seat on the Federal Communications Commission, one that’s extremely long-vacant  — for well over a year — and would give the Biden FCC the majority it needs to restore network-neutrality rules or do other things Republicans won’t sign off on. 

The legislative days are dwindling down to a precious few. There are only about four weeks left on the Senate legislative calendar before the August recess, after which lawmakers will be focused on getting themselves re-elected in the midterms.

Sohn was a top adviser to Tom Wheeler, who served as FCC chairman during President Barack Obama’s second term, and was head of the liberal advocacy group Public Knowledge. During the confirmation process, she has taken fire from Republicans and industry opponents for issues including her support for the FCC’s Wheeler-era network neutrality rules, her criticism of Fox News Channel and her involvement with the broadcast-TV streaming platform Locast, which was shuttered after the Big Four broadcasters sued it for copyright infringement.

Her critics appear to be smelling blood.

In an opinion piece, Charlie Gasparino, a senior correspondent for Fox Business and columnist for the The New York Post joined the co-News Corp.-owned The Wall Street Journal in hammering Sohn, as well as the Biden administration for picking her.

Conservative critic and academic Jeffrey McCall, in an opinion piece in The Hill, says Sohn's confirmation has been held up by "bureaucratic wrangling" and is the victim of "bad partisan optics," but that barring some breakthrough with GOP senators, is is time for Sohn to step aside given that time was running out to find a new nominee.

S&P Global telecom/media analyst David DiMolfetta said Sohn has been a victim of bad timing and luck, as well as opposition from a number of legislators.

Even one of her big supporters, Free Press, signaled last week that time was running out. Putting out an all-points bulletin to supporters to press Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to hold a vote on Sohn's nomination, it said that "depending on how the midterm elections go — we may go through Biden’s entire first term without a fully staffed FCC."

The general wisdom is that the Republicans are generally opposed and that Democrat Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is a holdout on that side in an evenly divided Senate, though there is some argument that a Republican or two might vote for her if Manchin did and other Democrats said to be lukewarm on the nomination supported her. Absent that, though they are said not to want to be the Republican who tipped the balance in her favor if Manchin cannot be brought around.

Manchin's office had not returned a request for comment at press time. ▪️

Fans in the association sphere called on the Senate to confirm Democratic nominee Gigi Sohn to fill the fifth seat on the Federal Communications Commission, which has been vacant for well over a year.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the associations — comprising the Consumer Technology Association, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Chamber of Progress, CompTIA, the Internet Infrastructure Coalition, INCOMPAS and NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association — acknowledged the Senate had a lot on its plate with “pressing national issues.” Nonetheless, they urged senators to end debate over Sohn’s nomination — a discharge vote is akin to a cloture vote, allowing for a final vote on a bill or nomination.

While the trade groups back Sohn, they also suggested ending debate was about just having a functioning — as in fully staffed — FCC “to advance regulatory items critical to our ability to help promote a strong economy and maintain our nation’s competitiveness.”

Also: Sohn Nomination Backed by Ex-FCC Homeland Security Bureau Chiefs

They also evoked some of the pressing issues the Senate is dealing with, like what to do about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its censorship of coverage critical of the war. “The absence of a fifth commissioner hamstrings the agency when U.S. leadership on technology policy is most needed,” they said. “As authoritarian regimes around the world move to supplant U.S. leadership and restrict access to an open and free internet, we must ensure the U.S. government is well-positioned to thoroughly consider and advance policies that promote democratic values.“

The Senate has yet to vote to discharge Sohn’s nomination from the Senate Commerce Committee after a tie vote out of the panel. The tie vote means Sohn was not favorably reported, so a Senate vote is required to discharge the nomination from committee before it can move to a final vote.

Republicans have been pushing back hard on Sohn's nomination, citing her criticism of Fox News Channel and past stands on intellectual property and net neutrality. But some Sohn fans see other forces at work, including a general Republican effort to slow roll key nominees until the midterm elections and broadband companies trying to delay the return of net neutrality rules under Title II of the Communications Act. 

The Senate last week voted to discharge Federal Trade Commission nominee Alvaro Bedoya after his vote in committee was also tied, but that Bedoya vote required Vice President Kamala Harris to weigh in since the discharge vote was also tied 50-50. The Senate has yet to take a final confirmation vote on Bedoya.

Sohn’s discharge vote, if and when it happens, might also need a nod from the VP.

Like Bedoya, Sohn represents the Democratic majority the Biden administration needs to move on politically divided issues such as media ownership regulations and restoring net neutrality rules. ▪️

Cable and telecom internet service providers are pushing back on Democratic Federal Communications Commission nominee Gigi Sohn‘s promise to recuse herself from some issues if confirmed. They‘re suggesting such an offer signals a wider problem with which issues she would or should be weighing in on, and what impact that would have on the agency and the industry.

NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and USTelecom, in separate but similar letters to the chair and ranking members of the Senate Commerce Committee, told them they had issues with Sohn‘s promised recusal from certain broadcast matters. The Commerce Committee is holding a confirmation hearing vote Wednesday (February 2) on Sohn‘s nomination. The trade groups signaled there are some cable/broadband-related issues — think net neutrality — for which her past advocacy should raise similar concerns, if there are any concerns to be raised.

Sohn has pledged not to participate in agency decisions regarding retransmission consent or copyright issues if she is confirmed to the open Democratic seat on the commission.

That stems from her advocacy on those issues when she headed Public Knowledge.

Also: Preston Padden: ‘Wall Street Journal’ Declines Letter in Defense of Gigi Sohn

In her recusal offer to FCC general counsel Michelle Ellison, Sohn promised that, for the first four years of her term as commissioner, “I will recuse myself from participation in FCC Docket No. 10-71 or any related FCC docket concerning the same issues.” But she went beyond that.

“For the first three years of my term,” she also wrote, “I will recuse myself from any proceeding before the Commission where retransmission consent or television broadcast copyright is a material issue in the Commission’s disposition of that proceeding.” She defined material issue as “one that has influence and effect on the ultimate disposition of the matter or matters considered in the proceeding.”

Sohn said she would look to the general counsel‘s office to “make any necessary determination on the application of this recusal to a particular matter.”

In his letter, NCTA president and CEO Michael Powell said that while NCTA ”strongly supports” following government ethics rules that are meant to prevent a conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict, “Ms. Sohn’s letter raises several serious concerns.”

While he said the letter should not be read as opposition to the nomination, Powell has a couple of issues with the recusal pledge.

He said it is not clear why those would be the only issues from which she would recuse herself, “given the breadth of issues in which Public Knowledge was involved” under Sohn. He said the recusal should ”logically extend“ to all the matters she advocated for at Public Knowledge, or none.

Second, he said: “Next, in the more recent years since her service at the Commission during the Obama administration, Ms. Sohn has been publicly involved on matters of direct interest to our membership. There is no logical basis for treating these matters differently from the retransmission and copyright issues for purposes of recusal.”

Arguably the main issue she was involved in after Public Knowledge was the Title II-based net neutrality rules she stumped for as a top counselor to then-FCC chairman Tom Wheeler.

More than one Washington insider has suggested that her support for Title II, and broadband operators‘ ongoing unhappiness with that advocacy, was a big reason she was getting so much pushback on the nomination from Republicans.

Also: CWA’s Christopher Shelton Calls for Gigi Sohn’s FCC Confirmation

Powell also has issues with the scope of the recusal, which could cover a wide range of proceedings, past and future, he said. Sohn signaled in her recusal letter she would not be recusing from media ownership rules. But Powell said that “the Commission will repeatedly be required to determine whether retransmission consent or copyright issues are ‘material’ to a particular docket — including media ownership proceedings where the impact on retransmission consent rates can be at issue.” Powell is a former chairman of the FCC.

In its letter, USTelecom also said it was not taking a position on the nomination, only on the recusal offer.  

“It appears highly irregular to recuse an official from any proceeding that addresses two broad, important issues because of a prior filing in a rulemaking more than a decade ago,” said USTelecom president Jonathan Spalter in his letter. “In fact, the ethics rules generally state that prior participation in a rulemaking proceeding is not a basis for recusal. Thus, it appears that Ms. Sohn’s reasoning for recusing herself would establish a new standard for FCC commissioners participating in proceedings in which they were previously active.”

USTelecom said the recusal was clearly to assuage the broadcast industry, there are other issues much broader than a single industry. “Can the FCC be confident that Ms. Sohn will not be perceived as being able to act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual based on her prior FCC advocacy if, as it appears from her letter, she is concerned may not be the case for certain issues?”

USTelecom asks whether Sohn‘s failure to recuse herself from other issues on which she has advocated [like Powell“s letter, Spalter does not say which, though net neutrality is the elephant in the room], will that create the appearance of benefitting one industry over others with no precedent or rational basis."

Both NCTA and USTelecom said they want Congress to at least take these into account before they vote “in order,” as Spalter put it, “for you to assess their practical implications for the adjudicatory and rulemaking functions of the FCC as well as on the continued effectiveness and impartiality of the Commission.”

“Rather than ensuring impartiality,“ Powell said, ”Ms. Sohn‘s targeted recusal has instead raised serious questions regarding transparency together with significant concerns that one industry has been singled out for special treatment to win their support for her confirmation.“ ■

Communications Workers of America president Christopher Shelton is blaming Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) for the failure, so far, of Federal Communications Commission nominee Gigi Sohn to get a vote in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Wicker is ranking member of the committee, but does not control the timing of a vote, which is in the purview of chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

In an op-ed endorsing Sohn, Shelton likened Republican obstruction of the Sohn nomination to the Capitol insurrection, calling it “yet another Republican attempt to undermine our democratic system and the functioning of the federal government.”

Wicker has called for a second hearing on Sohn’s nomination. She already had one, but President Joe Biden had to resubmit the nomination earlier this month after the committee did not vote on it before the end of last year.

Wicker is concerned about, among other things, the potential ongoing conflict of interest related to Sohn's association with Locast, the TV-station streaming service that shuttered after a court ruled it was illegally streaming network content. That issue appears to have resolved itself with a settlement that relieved Sohn, a former Locast board member, of any liability.

Shelton called on Democrats to get moving and approve Sohn, saying: “She is known as a long-time, tireless advocate for the expansion of affordable internet access — one of the key issues on the Democrats’ agenda. There is currently a vacant seat on the FCC, and without a full commission it will be difficult to advance the policies necessary to expand affordable broadband service to the millions of American families left on the wrong side of the digital divide.” ■

Veteran fair-use advocate and former top Federal Communications Commission counselor Gigi Sohn has collected endorsements for the agency‘s open Democratic seat from various groups and legislators. But a single senator can block a full Senate vote on her confirmation and a single senator is still signaling that is what he will do if Sohn‘s nomination is favorably reported out of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Last month, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), ranking member of the Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee, asked President Joe Biden to withdraw Sohn‘s nomination, saying he had many concerns, but copyright was chief among them. He threatened to put a hold on the nomination, which any senator can do.

Also: Gigi Sohn‘s FCC Nomination Could Face Hold Threats

Sohn has already had her nomination hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee, where she appeared to assuage some Republican concerns about her progressive views and tweets critical of Fox News Channel. But while others who shared the nomination hearing dais with her have gotten their committee votes, Sohn has not. The President had to resubmit Sohn's nomination after the Senate did not act on it last year.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the committee, wants to hold that hearing soon. A Cantwell spokesperson said the senator expected a vote on Sohn's nomination will happen by the end of the month.

But asked whether Tillis would follow through on his hold if the committee approves Sohn, a top Tillis staffer signaled he was ready to back up his threat. “[H]e will put a hold on her nomination when it reaches the floor,” the spokesperson said.

In recent days, Consumer Technology Association president Gary Shapiro, the CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association, Shirley Bloomfield, and three former heads of the FCC's Homeland Security Bureau have publicly endorsed Sohn. ■

Three former chiefs of the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau — including two former top military officers — have expressed their strong endorsement of Gigi Sohn as the regulator‘s fifth commissioner.

Confirmation of Sohn, a Democrat, would tip the balance of power on an FCC that‘s currently politically tied at 2-2. Sohn was a top adviser to Tom Wheeler, FCC chair during the second term of President Barack Obama.

Those ringing endorsements came in letters this week to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, copies of which were provided to Multichannel News. The committee has held a hearing on Sohn's nomination but has yet to vote on it.

Sending a joint letter were retired Rear Admirals Jamie Barnett and David Turetsky, with retired Rear Adm. David Simpson sending a separate letter.

Also: Preston Padden Backs Sohn for FCC Seat

Sohn has received major pushback from Republicans over some tweets about Fox News Channel and her progressive stands on some issues, including as head of Public Knowledge, but she also has backers in that party who concede elections have consequences and respect her has a principled advocate for positions they may not agree with.

Simpson said he had worked closely with Sohn for three years and called her a patriot, a big backer of law enforcement and an advocate for public safety. “She would be an outstanding commissioner and bring useful consumer and community focused perspective to the FCC,” he said, adding that Sohn had his “strongest possible endorsement.”

In their joint letter, Barnett and Turetsky said, “Based on our knowledge and experience with the public safety communications role of the FCC, our knowledge of FCC commissioner nominee Gigi Sohn and our work and dedication to make the public safer, we enthusiastically recommend that you confirm Gigi Sohn to serve as an FCC commissioner.”

They urged the legislators — Commerce chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and ranking member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) — to confirm Sohn ASAP. Actually, they would simply be favorably reporting the nomination to the full Senate, whose affirmative vote would be confirmation, but their meaning was clear. 

“She is someone we believe will be a strong, effective, and knowledgeable advocate for the public’s safety as an FCC commissioner,” Barrett and Turetsky concluded.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is waiting on that fifth commissioner to be able to tackle potential broadcast and internet service provider re-regulation that the two Republican members are unlikely to support. ■

Federal Communications Commission nominee Gigi Sohn could be running into more Republican and industry headwinds in the Biden administration's effort to get a Democratic majority on the agency.

Acting chair Jessica Rosenworcel's nomination for a new five-year hitch — and her designation as chair — was approved Dec. 1 by the Senate Commerce Committee, where she used to be a top staffer, and is expected to get full Senate confirmation soon.

But despite a relative lack of contentiousness in Sohn's confirmation hearing and despite Republicans concerned about her past advocacy for fair use carve-outs for copyrighted material and her criticism of Fox News Channel, there are reports that a hold could be put on her nomination by one of those concerned Republicans.

A definite potential source of the hold is Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), ranking member on the Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee. Tillis asked President Joe Biden to withdraw Sohn's nomination, saying he had many concerns but copyright was chief among them. On Monday (Dec. 6), his office confirmed he would do whatever he could to stop the nomination, including placing a hold.

While Tillis has expressed concerns about Sohn's views on fair use exemptions from copyright, he is also not a fan of restoring net neutrality regulations, something Sohn has supported and still does and the issue one source said would more likely drive a hold. Tillis’s office had not returned a request for comment at press time on whether, and if so why, he was planning a hold.

Another possible hold source is Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), arguably her toughest opponent at the nomination hearing, particularly over the issue of her past tweets critical of Fox News. “You have clearly indicated your bias against more conservative news sources,” he said.

The hold could have backers among both internet service providers and broadcasters, ISPs over that net neutrality stand and broadcasters over signals she’s sent that she could support restoring some broadcast regulation, a group one source characterized as “the coalition of the freaking out.” 

Democrats will need a majority to push through either of those initiatives. Broadcasters have also cited Sohn's directorship at Locast, the TV-station streaming service that shuttered after a court concluded it did not have a copyright exemption. Tillis brought that up in his letter to Biden seeking the withdrawal.

There doesn’t seem to be the same “freaking out coalition” raising Tillis’s copyright concerns. And Sohn has some fans — or at least "non-opponents" — in the copyright community given her ability to come to the table, as was the case with the copyright alert system when she headed fair-use advocate Public Knowledge, as well as the compromise net neutrality rules under former FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, that were not based in classifying broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act.

But Sohn stumped for Title II-based rules under Genachowski’s FCC successor, Tom Wheeler, and Title II has regained popularity under the new administration and with congressional leadership, a momentum that could be powering opposition to Sohn.

Any senator can put on hold on a nominee for any or no reason — the hold prevents a measure from coming to the floor — and does not have to identify themselves. It then would take 60 votes to proceed with a vote on her nomination, similar to invoking cloture to end a filibuster.

Sohn's nomination won't get a committee vote, absent the hold, until at least mid-month.

Senators had until Monday (Dec. 6) at noon to submit written questions and Sohn gets a week to respond.

If Sohn does secure the FCC nomination, she would be its first openly gay commissioner, a point Biden made in her nomination. ■

The main headline coming out of the Television Academy’s Emmys nomination announcement Tuesday is the dominance of the streaming services. With shows from streaming services representing eight of the top 10 most nominated shows, it’s clear that the online platform resonated with viewers, critics and Emmy voters.

With that said, there were a few highlights that traditional television distributors can hang their hats on heading into the Sept. 19 Emmy Awards show telecast. Here are several takeaways for cable and broadcast networks from Tuesday’s 73rd Emmys nominations announcement.

Read Also: Streaming Shows 'The Crown,' 'The Mandalorian,' 'WandaVision' Lead Emmy Awards Nominations 

• Along with 18 nominations, HBO’s recently cancelled Lovecraft Country became the first series ever to have Black actors nominated in both the drama best actor (Jonathan Rogers) and best actress (Jurnee Smollet) categories. The horror-themed show also has the distinction of having Black actors nominated in six of the seven drama acting categories. Overall, actors of color drew four of the six nominations in the best actor in a drama series category and half of the nominations for the best actress in a drama series award. 

Read Also: 'Lovecraft Country' Creator Outlines New Season Plot Despite Series Cancellation

• NBC’s Saturday Night Live continues to rack up Emmy nominations. The late-night series drew 21 nominations — one off its record 22 nods for a variety show garnered in 2017— and now has a record 306th Emmy nominations overall. It was one of the few bright spots for the broadcast networks, which found itself either shut out or with only one nomination in the outstanding drama, comedy and limited series categories. NBC led all broadcast networks with 46 nominations.

• HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show is the only show that stands in the way of Saturday Night Live winning its fifth straight Emmy in the Outstanding Variety Sketch Series category as only two shows qualified for the award.  

• FX was the most nominated basic cable network with 16, nine of which were generated by Pose, including a lead actress in a drama nomination for MJ Rodriguez — the first ever in the category for a lead trans person. VH1 (11) and National Geographic (10) also generated double-digit nominations. Overall 16 cable networks garnered Emmy nominations, matching the number of online services with Emmy nods. 

• HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will look to make it six Emmy wins in a row in the Outstanding Talk Series category, while VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race will go for four straight wins in the Outstanding Competition Program category.  

The Senate has confirmed a fifth commissioner, Lina Khan, to the Federal Trade Commission, so that regulatory body has at least has a Democratic majority — some five months into the Biden administration — though it is still operating under an acting chair, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.

The FTC is under pressure from Congress to exercise more muscular oversight of antitrust, particularly when it comes to Big Tech mergers, and was deeded more responsibility for internet-access regulation with the Federal Communications Commission‘s reclassification of internet service providers as a Title I information service. Then there are issues of intellectual property protection in an age where online video is increasingly the delivery system of choice. So, there is plenty to work on over at the FTC.

Khan has been an associate law professor at Columbia Law School, teaching and writing about antitrust law, infrastructure industries, and "the antimonopoly tradition," as the White House put it in nominating her. She is former counsel on the House Judiciary Committee Antitrust Subcommittee and was a legal advisor to Democratic FTC member Rohit Chopra.

”We applaud the Senate‘s bipartisan vote today to confirm Lina Khan to the Federal Trade Commission,” Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, said. “The FTC stands at the forefront of protecting consumers and the creative community from the ills caused by content theft, including the malware so often spread by piracy sites and services. We look forward to working with commissioner Khan and the entire FTC to protect content creators and our audiences, educate consumers about the harms of stealing the work of America’s film and television creators, and hold accountable those actors in the online ecosystem who turn a blind eye to online crime.”

“USTelecom and our members congratulate Commissioner Khan on her bipartisan confirmation," said USTelecom President Jonathan Spalter. "We look forward to working with her to strengthen the digital economy and make progress on two key priorities. First, achieving a national privacy framework that respects and protects consumers across the entire internet ecosystem. Second, growing our existing partnership to crack down on robocall scammers who illegally pollute our communications networks.”

“I’m very pleased to congratulate Ms. Khan on her confirmation to the Federal Trade Commission,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). “Her confirmation comes at a critical time for our nation as consumers have spent more time online than ever before during the pandemic, from connecting with loved ones, or staying on top of the news, to making a living by working remotely. As I said during Ms. Khan’s nomination hearing before the Commerce Committee: I believe in the promise of the internet and the information age, but I also believe that we need a policeman – or in this case – a policewoman – on the beat. That is the FTC’s core mission. We must protect consumers from the frauds and scams that have proliferated during the pandemic. We must protect their privacy and renew our focus on cybersecurity– both of which are essential to protecting our national security and infrastructure. And we have to do everything we can to help stabilize the local news ecosystem which has been severely impacted by unfair practices by the major internet advertising platforms."

“CTIA and the wireless industry congratulate Lina Khan on her successful Senate confirmation and subsequent appointment as Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission. We look forward to working with the Chairwoman and wish her success in her new role," said CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker. 

New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) celebrated the confirmation, but added that the FCC also needs a Democratic majority ASAP. Currently it is operating at a political 2-2 tie under acting chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, with no fifth commissioner yet nominated and no word as to whether Rosenworcel will get the permanent nod or if Biden will nominate a new chair to fill the fifth seat.

“We applaud today’s vote to confirm Lina Khan to the FTC,” said Joshua Stager, deputy director of broadband and competition policy at the institute. "She is a proven thought leader who has helped jolt antitrust enforcement out of stagnant 1970s thinking. After years of sluggish enforcement — particularly in digital markets — the FTC needs a fresh perspective. We look forward to working with Commissioner Khan.

“Another expert agency that needs a fresh perspective is the Federal Communications Commission — but we’re still waiting for a fifth commissioner and a permanent chair," Stager added. "In the meantime, the FCC remains deadlocked and unable to turn the page from [former chairman] Ajit Pai’s failed tenure. We can’t lose any more time. President [Joe] Biden needs to get the FCC to full capacity.”

OTI is one of a host of groups that have written the president asking him to fill the FCC vacancy.

ESPN scored the most 2020 Sports Emmy Awards nominations, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced Thursday (March 26).

ESPN's portfolio of networks drew 58 Sports Emmy nominations -- which celebrate excellence in the field of sports television -- to lead all networks. The Fox Sports finished second with 48 nominations, followed by the NBC Sports Group with 24 nods, according to NATAS.

ESPN’s E:60 magazine series drew 10 nominations to lead all programs, while Fox Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LIV finished second with seven nominations. Fox’s coverage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and its NFL on Fox series, along with HBO’s 24/7 documentary franchise as well as ESPN’s SC Featured show all tied for third with three nominations.

The 41st Annual Sports Emmy Awards ceremony was postponed from its original April 28 date and has not been rescheduled. A full list of nominations can be found below. 

OUTSTANDING LIVE SPORTS SPECIAL

2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (FINAL: USA vs. Netherlands) FOX

2019 Stanley Cup Final (Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues) NBC

The 61st Daytona 500 FOX

The 115th World Series (Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros) FOX

The 145th Kentucky Derby NBC

The Masters CBS

Super Bowl LIV (San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs) FOX

OUTSTANDING LIVE SPORTS SERIES

College Football ESPN/ABC

NFL on CBS CBS

NFL on FOX FOX/NFL Network

SEC on CBS CBS

Sunday Night Football NBC

OUTSTANDING PLAYOFF COVERAGE

2019 College Football Playoff Semifinal (Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes) ESPN

2019 NBA Playoffs on TNT TNT

AFC Playoffs CBS

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament TBS/CBS/TNT/truTV

NFC Wild Card (Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints) FOX

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE

24/7 (College Football: Arizona State Sun Devils [Lucky 27 Media/Sport & Story]) HBO

America’s Game: The 2018 New England Patriots ([NFL Films]) NFL Network

Ironman World Championship (Age Group Athletes [IRONMAN]) NBC

NFL Turning Point (Super Bowl LIV [NFL Films]) FS1

UFC Fight Flashback (Khabib vs. McGregor) UFC Fight Pass

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPORTS SPECIAL OR SERIES

24/7 (Kelly Slater) HBO

Game of Zones Bleacher Report

Losers ([Topic Studios]) Netflix

Peyton’s Places ([NFL Films]) ESPN+

The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED ([UNINTERRUPTED/N2ition]) HBO

OUTSTANDING ESPORTS COVERAGE

2019 ELEAGUE on TBS (Road To The Rocket League World Championship) TBS

2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals ([Epic Games/NGE/Victory Pictures]) YouTube

EXP APEX Legends Pro Am ([ADVNCR]) ABC/ESPN

EXP Invitational (Apex Legends at the X Games [So-Hi Media]) ESPN2

FIFA eWORLD Cup Grand Final 19 London ([FIFA TV]) FS2

League of Legends World Final [Riot Games] YouTube

OUTSTANDING SHORT SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

E: 60 (All Heart) ESPN

E: 60 (Hilinski’s Hope) ESPN

E: 60 (Lovely Finish) ESPN

E: 60 (Paradise: From the Ashes) ESPN

Golf Films (Chi Chi and Devo) Golf Channel

OUTSTANDING LONG SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Any One of Us ([Red Bull Films]) HBO

The Dawn Wall ([Red Bull Media House/Sender Films]) Netflix

Q Ball FS1

Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story ([Bleacher Report]) Showtime

What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali Part I ([Sutter Road Picture Company/

Fuqua Films/SpringHill Entertainment]) HBO

OUTSTANDING SERIALIZED SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

Basketball or Nothing ([WorkShop Content Studios]) Netflix

Hard Knocks (Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders [NFL Films]) HBO

Last Chance U ([Condé Nast Entertainment/Endgame Entertainment/One Potato Productions]) Netflix

Quest for the Stanley Cup ([Ross Greenburg Productions]) ESPN+

Why We Fight ([Dirty Robber]) ESPN+

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – WEEKLY

College GameDay ESPN

Football Night in America NBC

FOX NFL Sunday FOX/FS1

FOX NFL Thursday FOX

Inside the NBA TNT

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – DAILY

The Dan Patrick Show B/R Live/DirecTV/NBCSN

MLB Tonight MLB Network

NHL Live NBC/NBCSN

Outside the Lines ESPN

Pardon The Interruption ([Rydholm Projects]) ESPN

SportsCenter ESPN

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – LIMITED RUN

2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup FOX/FS1

Inside the NBA: 2019 NBA Playoffs TNT

MLB on FOX: The Postseason FOX/FS1

NFL 100 All-Time Team ([NFL Films]) NFL Network

Road to the Final Four TBS/CBS/TNT/truTV

OUTSTANDING SPORTS NEWS/FEATURE ANTHOLOGY

E: 60 ESPN

NFL 360 NFL Network

NFL on FOX (NFL100) FOX

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel HBO

SC Featured ESPNews

OUTSTANDING SPORTS JOURNALISM

E: 60 (Enes Kanter: Enemy of the State) ESPN

E: 60 (Southmost: Football & Life on the Border) ESPN

E: 60 (The Squad: 44 Years, 41 Allegations) ESPN

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (Game Change: The Changing Demographics of Football in America) HBO

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (Overheated: Heat Stroke Deaths in High School Football) HBO

OUTSTANDING SHORT FEATURE

2019 NBA Awards on TNT (Bird and Magic for a New Generation) TNT

Championship Drive (For Carley) ESPN

College GameDay (SC Featured – Casey at the Snap) ESPN.com

NCAA Golf Championships (Life Without Katie: The Jason Enloe Story) Golf Channel

NFL 360 (I Got You) NFL Network

SC Featured (Saving the Tenement) ESPNews

OUTSTANDING LONG FEATURE

College GameDay (SC Featured – A Hero’s Journey) ESPN

E: 60 (Cliff Diving) ESPN

E: 60 (Kelly’s Sign) ESPN

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (Running Free: The Huwe Burton Story) HBO

SC Featured (Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable) ESPN

OUTSTANDING OPEN/TEASE

The 120th Army-Navy Game (The Choice) CBS

AFC Championship (Believe) CBS

Jimmy V Classic ESPN

NFL on CBS (Jim Kelly: Still Thankful) CBS

Super Bowl LIV (Next 100 [72andSunny/Prettybird]) FOX

OUTSTANDING TRANS-MEDIA SPORTS COVERAGE

2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup FOX/FS1/FOXSports.com

2019 NCAA March Madness (March Madness Live [Turner Sports]) NCAA.com

2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Megacast (Clemson Tigers vs. LSU Tigers) Multiple ESPN Platforms

NFL 100 Greatest & All-Time Team NFL Network

Premier League NBC/NBCSN

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL INNOVATION

Major League Baseball (MLB Sporty Bot) MLB Network

MLB Tonight (Postseason P.O.V.) MLB Network

Red Bull Rampage (Virtual Production) Red Bull TV

Tales From the Edge: Jeb Corliss (VR/360Video Wingsuit BASE jump [RYOT]) YouTube

Fox Sports (Watch Parties) FOX/FS1/FOXSports.com

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL TV EXPERIENCE

#SandlotToTheShow MLB Network

2019 NBA Twitter Live ([Turner Sports]) Twitter

Always Late w/ Katie Nolan ESPN2/ESPN+/Facebook

Inside the NBA on TNT TNT

NBA Desktop The Ringer

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – STUDIO HOST

James Brown (Inside the NFL, The NFL Today) Showtime/CBS

Ernie Johnson (Inside the NBA) TNT

Brian Kenny (MLB Now) MLB Network

Mike Tirico (The Kentucky Derby, Football Night in America, NHL on NBC) NBC/NBCSN

Scott Van Pelt (SportsCenter) ESPN

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – PLAY-BY-PLAY

Kenny Albert (NFL on FOX, FOX Boxing, MLB on FOX, NBA on MSG, NHL on NBC) FOX/FS1/NBC/NBCSN/MSG

Mike Breen (NBA on ABC) ABC

Mike Emrick (NHL on NBC) NBC/NBCSN

Al Michaels (Sunday Night Football) NBC

Jim Nantz (The Masters, NFL on CBS, NCAA March Madness) TBS/CBS/TNT/truTV

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – STUDIO ANALYST

Charles Barkley (Inside the NBA) TNT

Bill Belichick (NFL 100 All-Time Team) NFL Network

Jay Bilas (College GameDay) ESPN

Al Leiter (MLB Tonight) MLB Network

Kenny Smith (Inside the NBA) TNT

Michael Strahan (NFL on FOX) FOX

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – SPORTS EVENT ANALYST

Troy Aikman (NFL on FOX) FOX/NFL Network

Cris Collinsworth (Sunday Night Football) NBC

Kirk Herbstreit (College Football on ESPN/ABC) ESPN/ABC

Tony Romo (NFL on CBS) CBS

John Smoltz (MLB on FOX, MLB on MLB Network) FOX/FS1/MLB Network

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY – SPORTS REPORTER

Tom Rinaldi (College Football on ESPN, US Open on ESPN, The Masters) ESPN/ABC

Ken Rosenthal (MLB on FOX, MLB on MLB Network) FOX/FS1/MLB Network

Holly Rowe (College Football on ESPN, College Basketball on ESPN, College Softball on ESPN) ESPN/ABC

Michele Tafoya (Sunday Night Football) NBC

Tom Verducci (MLB on FOX, MLB on MLB Network) FOX/MLB Network

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL TEAM REMOTE

2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Clemson Tigers vs. LSU Tigers) ESPN

The Masters CBS/CBS Sports Network

MLB on FOX FOX/FS1

Sunday Night Baseball ESPN

Tour de France NBC/NBCSN

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL TEAM STUDIO

2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup FOX/FS1

2019 NFL Draft NFL Network

College GameDay ESPN

FOX NFL Sunday (Super Bowl LIV) FOX

MLB Tonight MLB Network

OUTSTANDING CAMERA WORK

24/7 (Kelly Slater) HBO

The Dawn Wall ([Red Bull Media House/Sender Films]) Netflix

Inside the NFL (Shots Of The Year [NFL Films]) Showtime

Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season ([Teton Gravity Research]) HBO

Super Bowl LIV (Next 100 [72andSunny/Prettybird]) FOX

OUTSTANDING EDITING – SHORT FORM

AFC Championship (Believe) CBS

I Got You NFL Network

NFL 360 (Unapologetic) NFL Network

SC Featured (Saving the Tenement) ESPNews

Super Bowl LIV (Next 100 [72andSunny/Work Editorial]) FOX

OUTSTANDING EDITING – LONG FORM

24/7 (Kelly Slater) HBO

Any One of Us ([Red Bull Films]) HBO

Drive Like Andretti NBC/NBCSN

Portrait of a Fighter (Caleb “Sweethands” Plant) FS1

SC Featured (Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable) ESPN

THE DICK SCHAAP OUTSTANDING WRITING AWARD

100 Years of Change NFL Network

24/7 (Kelly Slater) HBO

American League Division Series on MLB Network (Baseball is Us) MLB Network

NFL Films Presents (Mike Pope [NFL Films]) FS1

UEFA Champions League (Road To The Final [IMG Media]) Bleacher Report

OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION

2019 Jimmy V Classic (Don’t Give Up on Me) ESPN

2020 College Football Playoff National Championship ([Bluefoot Entertainment]) ESPN

Q Ball FS1

Road To The Super Bowl ([NFL Films]) FOX

This is Football ([Amazon Studios]) Amazon Prime Video

OUTSTANDING LIVE EVENT AUDIO/SOUND

MLB on FOX FOX/FS1

NASCAR on FOX FOX/FS1

NASCAR on NBC NBC/NBCSN

NFL on CBS CBS

NFL on FOX FOX

OUTSTANDING POST-PRODUCED AUDIO/SOUND

Radioactive: The Championship Race ([NASCAR Productions]) FS1

Road To The Super Bowl ([NFL Films]) FOX

Super Bowl LIV (Next 100 [72andSunny/LIME Studios]) FOX

That Other Pregame Show (Fantasy Man) CBS/CBS Sports Network

Zero Gravity ([Red Bull Media House]) Red Bull TV

OUTSTANDING LIVE GRAPHIC DESIGN

2019 NBA All-Star on TNT TNT

ACC Network ACC Network

NFL on ESPN ESPN

NHL on NBC NBC/NBCSN

SEC Network SEC Network

OUTSTANDING POST-PRODUCED GRAPHIC DESIGN

Inside College Football (CFB 150 Animated) CBS Sports Network

Losers ([Topic Studios]) Netflix

MLB Now (B=ASe+BA(L)²) MLB Network

NFL on ESPN ESPN

NFL on FOX FOX

The NFL Today CBS

OUTSTANDING STUDIO OR PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DIRECTION

FOX NFL Sunday (Super Bowl LIV: Johnny Cash’s “Ragged Old Flag”) FOX

NASCAR Race Hub FS1

NFL on FOX (NFL100) FOX

Super Bowl LIV (Next 100 [72andSunny/Prettybird]) FOX

That Other Pregame Show (Fantasy Man) CBS/CBS Sports Network

THE GEORGE WENSEL TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

ESPN Monday Night Football/ESPN College Football (C360 PylonCam-MarkerCam) ESPN/ABC

Super Bowl LIV (UHD HDR) FOX

The Masters (Every Shot, Every Hole) CBS

NASCAR on FOX (Broadcast Analytics) FOX/FS1

NASCAR on FOX (Virtual Set) FOX/FS1

Tour de France (Augmented Reality) NBC/NBCSN

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT

2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (All Eyes on Us) FOX/FS1/FS2/FOX Deportes

ESPN (There’s No Place Like Sports) ESPN

Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season (Trailer [Teton Gravity Research]) HBO

Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston (Trailer) Showtime

Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs. Gordon ([NASCAR Productions/DLP Media Group]) FS1

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW IN SPANISH

A Los Golpes ESPN Deportes

Futbol Central Univision/TUDN

Hoy en la Copa Mundial Femenina de la FIFA Telemundo

Mision Europa UniMás/TUDN

SportsCenter Deportes ESPN Deportes

OUTSTANDING FEATURE STORY IN SPANISH

Destino Confidencial (Campeonas) ESPN Deportes

The ESPN Bucket List (Boca vs. River) ESPN Deportes

Golf Central (Dylan Reales: El Loco del Palo) Golf Channel

Reportajes Especiales (El Síndrome del Jamaicón) ESPN Deportes

SC Reportajes (Los Leones de la Habana) ESPN Deportes

OUTSTANDING ON-AIR PERSONALITY IN SPANISH

Andres Cantor (FIFA Women’s World Cup, Copa America, Que Momento, Liga Premier) Telemundo

José Ramón Fernández (Futbol Picante, Los Capitanes, Cronometro) ESPN Deportes

Ernesto Jerez (MLB en ESPN Deportes, Beisbol Esta Noche, SportsCenter Deportes, Serie del Caribe) ESPN Deportes

Adriana Monsalve (Campeones Cup, Futbol Central, Republica Deportiva, Contacto Deportivo, Super Bowl LIV, Mision Europa, El Madruguete, Linea de 4) Univision/TUDN

Jorge Eduardo Sánchez (SportsCenter Deportes, A Los Golpes, NBA en ESPN Deportes, LMP en ESPN Deportes) ESPN Deportes

ESPN garnered the most Sports Emmy nods overall, while NBC was second, bolstered by coverage of the most-nominated program, the Sochi Winter Olympics.

The worlwide leader earned 37 nominations for the 36th annual Sports Emmys, including seven for signature show, SportsCenter and six for its presentation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup from Brazil.

NBC was honored with 33 nominations, with the combined efforts of the Peacock, NBCSN, CNBC,  USA, MSNBC and nbcolympics.com scoring 15 nods for their coverage of the XXII Winter Olympics.

MLB Network, ESPN2 and Fox finished third, fourth and fifth with 16, 15 and 14 nominations, respectively.

Premium services HBO and Showtime tallied 12 and nine apiece.

All told, there are190 nominees in 40 categories. The ceremony, which will also will be highlighted by George Bodenheimer, the former executive chairman at ESPN receiving the lifetime achievement award, is scheduled for May 5 at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall.

Nominations by Network:

Nominations by program:

Nominations by network group: